Highwoods Academy
Highwoods Road, Mexborough, S64 9ESOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Highwoods Academy is a primary school in Mexborough for ages 3 to 11. It is one of the 136 schools in Doncaster. It ranks 2nd of 10 primary schools in Mexborough. Its latest Ofsted outcome is a report card, from an inspection in April 2026.
Ofsted report card
Inspected 28 April 2026, report published 23 June 2026
Each area is graded from urgent improvement to exceptional, and safeguarding is either met or not met.
- Inclusion
- Strong standard
- Curriculum and teaching
- Strong standard
- Achievement
- Expected standard
- Attendance and behaviour
- Expected standard
- Personal development and wellbeing
- Strong standard
- Leadership and governance
- Expected standard
- Early years
- Expected standard
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 28 April 2026
Highwoods Academy is a school at the heart of the local community. Pupils are happy, safe and proud to be part of the school that is like a ‘family’. They typically attend well, because they want to be at school. Pupils enjoy a nurturing environment, where staff get to know their needs, interests and families well. This starts from the moment pupils enter school in the early years. Positive relationships are formed and maintained. Pupils benefit from effective pastoral support. This allows them to develop their confidence and resilience from a very young age. There is a very clear sense of belonging, which is underpinned by the caring ethos of the school. Pupils are warmly welcomed into school each day. They enjoy their learning and are highly focused in everything they do. They take pride in their work and enjoy being able to share this with others. Around the school, behaviour is calm and orderly. Pupils show high levels of respect and care to both staff and their peers. At social times, pupils play enthusiastically with one another and enjoy their free time together. Bullying is rare. Pupils know there are trusted adults in school who will help them if needed. The school offers a broad range of opportunities to pupils. These develop pupils’ wider attributes and experiences beyond the classroom. Pupils develop their leadership skills through responsibilities, such as those of school councillors and house captains, which they enjoy and take very seriously. Pupils are at the heart of everything the school does. Staff understand the barriers to learning or wellbeing that pupils may have. These are identified quickly, so that learning is personalised and support is put in place. This allows pupils to succeed and thrive. Pupils make positive progress from their starting points and achieve well. They are well prepared for the next stage in their education.
What the school should improve
- Leaders should further develop their strategic oversight of all aspects of the school’s work, leading to consistent precision in identifying school priorities and ensuring continued rapid improvements.
- Leaders should sustain improvements in attendance for all groups, by continuing to embed the approaches already in place, acting promptly where concerns arise.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
21 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
198 pupils on roll, with places for 262
Schools near Highwoods Academy
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montagu Academy | 0.5 miles | Ofsted: Good | 77% met the expected standard |
| Mexborough St John the Baptist CofE Primary School | 0.8 miles | Ofsted: Good | 34% met the expected standard |
| Swinton Queen Primary School | 0.8 miles | Ofsted: Good | 58% met the expected standard |
| Brookfield Primary Academy | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | 72% met the expected standard |
| Wath Victoria Primary School | 1 mile | Report card: Needs attention to expected standard | 48% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- EMPOWERING MINDS ACADEMY TRUST
- Age range
- 3 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Nursery classes
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mr Paul Rust
- Phone
- 01709583273
- Address
- Highwoods Road, Mexborough, S64 9ES
- Local authority
- Doncaster
- URN
- 144539
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.